Bane of Darkness
by Silver Thunder
Summary: The sequel to 'Keeper of the Keys'. Basically, it just continues where the that fic left off. Pairings are 1x2 and 3x4.
1. Prologue

Bane of Darkness ****

Bane of Darkness

(series two of _Defending Our Light_)

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. If I did, there would be a few things different about it… Ah, let's just say you'd know. Besides, why the heck would I write fanfiction if I owned the show? I could be creating new episodes and making money for it. So back off.

~~~~~~

This is an AU fic. It's set in a different world than the GW boys actually live in. Don't expect to see any Gundams, I'm just borrowing the characters, not the storyline. Some of this is set in a strange world that I created myself and some of it is set in a 'normal' world, like our own. Anyway, enjoy.

Pairings:

3x4   
1x2

~~~~~~

****

Prologue

The dark was alive.

That was the way it seemed, anyway. Dorothy Catalonia frowned, making sure not to focus on the swirling patches of shadow that filled the room around her. _They can't be displeased with me to the point where they'd make me _see_ them, can they?_

No. Her masters were smarter than that. There was no way they'd toss aside a perfectly good servant just because of one simple mistake. She could still help them, after all – she had spent most of her young life studying the boy known as Seeker; she knew things about him that could be invaluable. They couldn't dispose of her, not now.

Drawing those thoughts about her like a barrior against attacks, Dorothy stepped forward, as a defendant might in a trial, approaching final judgement.

"Fail. You fail."

"It's nothing." Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, the girl faced her masters squarely, trying to appear confident. "We knew the Seeker would find the keys. The important thing is to keep him from _using_ them."

Silence.

A good sign, right? She kept going. "I know his weaknesses. He's far too kindhearted. We can use that against him, can't we? There are four gates. If we keep only one open, we win. Once we have completed our Sacrifice, there will be no way for anyone to stop us." Her voice grew lower. "Even the Darksbane."

"Darksbane…" There was no small amount of venom in the whispered word, as though it had been spat out.

"Use me," Dorothy urged, feeling her chances begin to slip. "I can help you. I _can_."

A cold breath of air brushed her right cheek, and she shut her eyes immediately, against the vision that could well drive her mad. Fear made her heart pound faster than normal; cold washed over her entire body, but she felt none of it.

"Open," the voice hissed, malevolently. _"Now."_

Her eyes shot open at the command, and the feeling of intense terror increased a hundred times over. The shadows were shifted around her, coming into plain sight. She could not close her eyes, or look away, as they took shape before her…

An agonized shriek filled the room shrilly for a moment, highlighted only by the hissing that had been echoing through it all along. The scream rose in terror and in agony until it came near to reaching the point where a listener might even feel some of the emotion themselves. 

Then it stopped.

Bonelessly, Dorothy Catalonia's body slumped to the ground, eyes still wide and unseeing.

"Use you," the voices whispered softly, disdainfully. _"We will."_

The Three

The Seeker with a head of spun gold   
Eyes like the sea, shifting blue to green   
Competence and bravery, hand in hand   
Weakness in the failure to see.

Sacrifice – darkness   
Contrast in bright eyes   
But a hardening of spirit, resigned to fate   
Beneath strength, there is weakness in uncertainty.

The Darksbane, soul of mystery   
Hair of the earth's shade and eyes containing death   
Self-sufficient and needing no being's aide   
Yet unable to comprehend emotion.

Prophecy (Dark)

The Seeker finds the keys   
Pullin your seal of fate from where it hides __

Gold at the stone on the mountain high   
Find Ice when darkness blocks the sky   
Rowan from the dangers among the trees   
Emerald in the dive to the lake from the seas   
Diamond in the fragments of the beast   
Silver from the fury at the feast   
Amber already holds your soul   
Used at once to complete that goal. 

Guard well the Gates,   
North, South, East, West.   
Confinement brings with it,   
Your defeat.

One option left,   
For in the moment   
One's life's blood is spilled across your altar   
Will the Gates fix and the keys   
Shall be rendered useless.   
Seek your Sacrifice   
And gain the assurance of victory.

Your only obstacle,   
Darksbane.

~~~~~~

End Prologue

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	2. North Gate: 1

Keeper of the Keys: ****

Bane of Darkness

North Gate: 1

We had been walking for approximately half an hour when the first faint hints of light started to show themselves. The end of the tunnel was near. I smiled slightly, half turning to watch Duo continue to question just about every answer he'd been given. _I wonder how Heero and Wufei will react to him._

"I don't know _everything_, Duo!" I could've laughed at that. Quatre looked so frustrated, eyebrows slanting ever so slightly downward, eyes wide and agitated, lips pulled to barely half their fullness. How expressive that face was… That was what fascinated me about Quatre – he was so beautifully emotional, apparently to the point where it couldn't stay on the inside and had to spread over his face and into his movements.

The tunnel was dimly let, so the colors on my two companions seemed to have been muted. Their eyes, both, were dull shades of grey, their faces only a bit lighter. Duo's hair seemed tinted black, while Quatre's defied the dark by taking up a white that almost appeared to glow. I had been to their world in an earlier time, when television was still black and white, but this image put that concept to shame. Quatre and Duo, I realized, both had the same type of beauty, expressed in entirely different ways.

Of course, I was far too biased to judge which way was most appealing.

"We're almost there," I interrupted them, not bothering to try and speak over their voices. They would both hear me, regardless.

"Great!" Duo grinned. "I'm getting jus the slightest bit sick of the whole 'deep, dark, dank' thing. I've almost forgotten what _sunshine_ feels like."

Quatre looked up at me. "How can you tell?" His face was bright, curious – as long as he was around, I don't think I could've forgotten the feel of sunshine, no matter where I went.

"It's getting lighter."

He glanced around quickly, as if trying to spot the difference for himself. "I can't tell." He gave me a rueful smiled. "So I guess I'll have to take your word for it, Trowa."

I moved closer and slid an arm around his shoulders. It felt nice – Quatre was one of those people who seemed, unconsciously, to invite such affectionate touches from those who cared about him. He responded well, too, relaxing under my touch, sinking into the half-embrace as if that was where he belonged. He felt warm, heartbeat steady against me – not too quick, not too slow. It made me feel more alive, somehow, as if the life in him was overflowing, and I could catch the excess. Another beautiful thing about Quatre.

"Not sleeping together…" Duo gave a snort of laughter. "Hah!"

Quatre's face flushed and he tensed a little, seemingly torn between the desire to stay where he was and the instinct to pull away in embarrassment. "We're not… I mean…"

"Oh, relax." Duo waved a dismissive hand. "Don't let me stop you from getting all cuddly. You guys look pretty good together." He winked at Quatre. "And you know you've got to be doing something right if you can get Sir Laughs-a-lot here to start opening up to you."

The blush on Quatre's face deepened, and I squeezed his shoulder lightly, sensing his embarrassment and pleasure at the statement. "Something or everything," I answered Duo.

"See?" Duo grinned. "You've turned him into a regular sweetheart, haven't you? Man, Quatre, you're pratically a miracle worker!"

"Or just a miracle," I agreed.

Quatre looked up at me in mild surprise, then smiled, still gazing at my face and letting me lead him along. "You two aren't just teasing me, are you?"

"Who, me?" Duo blinked in exaggerated shock. "Hey, I'm the soul of sincerity!"

The light-haired boy laughed helplessly at that.

I smiled and kissed his temple. "I wasn't teasing," I told him softly.

He melted even further into my arms. "I know."

"You guys are unbelievable." Duo shook his head, moving ahead of us toward the fast-approaching cave. "I feel like I'm drowning in a jar of honey. It's sweet enough to make your teeth turn yellow."

"Duo!" Quatre glanced at his friend in consternation. "Did you have to use that kind of comparison? You make it sound like some sort of disease."

The braided boy laughed out loud. "Sorry," he apologized. "It's been more than a year since the last time _I_ was with anyone. I almost forgot what it's like."

I glanced up, and abruptly changed the subject. "We're here."

Quatre instinctively shielded his eyes against the glare as we stepped out of the tunnel. I didn't bother. There were a lot of things my eyes could handle. Enduring intense light was the least of what they could do.

"You're late." Wufei's voice. I looked up and found him standing a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest. His voice and eyes were flat, and he was looking at Duo. Clearly, the time wasn't the real reason for his irritation.

"I apologize." Formality was best when dealing with Wufei. "I brought the Seeker with me as promised. And the keys."

"The delay is acceptable." I shifted my gaze to Heero, who was leaning against a tree, one foot braced slightly on the rough bark. "I'd like an explaination for the extra addition to the group, if you don't mind."

"What, without even asking for introductions?" Duo imitated Wufei's pose, arms crossed, but with a wide grin that spoiled the effect. "Didn't your mother even tell you it's _rude_ to talk about someone without even acknowledging their presense?"

Heero looked at Duo.

Duo looked back at Heero.

I was mildly interested. _This has the potential to be either very good, or very bad…_

Heero finally shifted his gaze back to me. "Trowa. An introduction would be appreciated."

__

Never thought you'd give in first. "Duo Maxwell, meet Heero Yuy." I squeezed Quatre's shoulder to draw their attention to him next. "This is Quatre Winner, and that over there is Wufei Chang."

"Seeker." Wufei nodded at Quatre. "You have all the keys?"

Quatre seemed to catch on to the fact that the dark-haired warrior had some respect for formality. "I do," he answered simply, then returned the nod, smiling politely.

My comrade seemed to approve. "That's well done."

"To repeat the earlier question," Heero interrupted, "Who is your other friend, and why is he here?"

"Duo Maxwell, remember?" Duo graced him with a cheeky grin. "Or weren't you listening the first time?"

Heero fixed his eyes on the braided boy. "I was referring to your importance, not your identity," he replied coldly. "And I always listen."

"Well," Duo said huffily, frowning, "_excuse_ me!"

"Apology accepted." Heero spoke over the inevitable response from Duo. "Trowa?"

"He chose to come," I answered. "I have a feeling he might come in handy."

"Nice to know _somebody_ loves me," Duo grumbled, still eying Heero.

Heero eyed him right back, coldly.

"I'll trust your judgement, as always," Wufei cut in. There was a note of disapproval in his voice. "But I can't see what good will come of having him along."

Predictable. "We'll have to wait and see, won't we?"

"More importantly," Heero began, earning himself a scowl from Duo, "I'd like to take a look at those keys. Just one forgery could cost us this war."

I took my arm away from Quatre's shoulder, and he reached into his bag to draw out all seven keys at once. "Here they are," he said calmly, holding them out. He didn't look even a little bit worried. Of course, Quatre _was_ the Seeker. He didn't have doubts, because he _knew_ the keys were real.

Heero glanced at them once, briefly. "Good. They're the real thing. Put them away."

"That's it?" Duo gave him an incredulous look. "How can you tell?"

"If you must know," Heero answered, slowly, eyes narrowing ever so slightly, "I'm a part of the prophecy as well. And that gives me certain abilities."

I exchanged cautious glances with Wufei. "Yuy," the Eastern warrior said, a warning note in his voice.

"I can keep track of my own words, Wufei," Heero replied, still watching Duo. "I know what I'm not to say out loud."

"About what?" Duo demanded. "Come on, you can't go around being all mysterious without bothering to explain things to me and Quatre."

"This isn't a question of trust," I explained. "It's a question of survival."

"Just about anything can be overheard here," Heero commented.

"Well, yeah, but – "

"Maxwell." Wufei caught Duo's eyes with a frown. "Don't push it. You're only here because Trowa said you could be. Start asking too many unwelcome questions and we'll send you right back where you came from."

"Geez, everyone's just all fun and games around here, aren't they?" Duo grumbled. "Good thing _I'm_ around, for Quatre's sake."

The light-haired boy smiled at him.

"We'll start traveling tomorrow morning," Heero told us. "For tonight, there's a clearing nearby." He glanced at first Quatre, then Duo. "There isn't much in the way of comfort, so if you don't like sleeping on the ground, you're going to have a rough time."

Duo waved a dismissive hand. "I've dealt with worse."

"I can handle it," Quatre added bravely. I had my doubts – he came from a well-off familiy, after all – but I figured I'd hold him while he slept at any rate. He glanced up at Heero. "Where are we going, anyway?"

"I'll explain in more detail later," the cold-eyed soldier replied. "For now, just know that you have four gates to lock with those keys. We're going to the North Gate first."

Quatre nodded. "All right."

"If that's settled, then let's get on with it." Wufei moved away from the tree he'd been leaning on and started off in a direction that was vaguely north, not looking back to see if we were following. "The clearing is this way."

~~~~~~

End North Gate: 1

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	3. North Gate: 2

Keeper of the Keys: ****

Bane of Darkness

North Gate: 2

"I don't trust him."

I glanced over at Duo's sleeping form, across the campfire we'd set up. Light flickered over his face and his form, giving the braided boy a deceptively innocent look, like a child's. His chest rose and feel steadily; he was sleeping.

"Why?" I turned back to face Wufei.

His dark eyes frowned along with the rest of his expression. "I have no reason to trust him. For all we know, he could be one of _their_ spies. The fact that he is friends with the Seeker – "

"Quatre," I corrected.

He scowled at the interruption. "With _Quatre_, then. That is no reason to trust him. It may even be reason enough to _distrust_ him. He could have been placed close to Quatre in order to gain his trust."

I couldn't dispute his point, so I shrugged briefly. "Perhaps."

Heero had been intently studying Duo's face, but I knew he was following the converstaion as well. He shifted to look at us. "You're mistaken."

Wufei glanced at him sideways. "How would _you_ know, Yuy?"

"I just do."

Considering what had happened to me when I met Quatre, I felt it safe to speculate about Heero's reasons for that trust. Duo and Quatre were, as I'd realized earlier, very much alike. Heero and I were cut from the same mold as well. There were obvious differences, but it was easy to spot the similarities.

"It's your neck that's on the line." Wufei snorted, obviously not fully convinced by Heero's dismissal of his suspicions. "Though I must say, Yuy, it's unlike you to trust an unknown foreigner so easily."

Heero just grunted.

"Even if we _can_ trust him," the Easterner continued, mercilessly, "how do we know that we aren't going to end up having to baby-sit him every step of the way? If he can't fight, he can only serve as a hindrance to our plans."

"If he can't fight, then he won't be our problem for long." There was a cold finality in the way Heero said that – colder than usual.

I smiled slightly.

Wufei scowled. "Do you really want his blood on your hands? If he dies, it will be our fault for not sending him back in the first place!"

I shook my head. "He chose to come. That's his decision."

"We'll find out whether or not he can fight soon enough." Heero gazed thoughtfully at Duo, eyes studying the braided boy over the flickering light of the fire. "It would be best to give him the benefit of the doubt, until we're proven otherwise."

"Innocent until proven guilty?" Wufei shook his head and stood up. "I'll trust your judgement, but only because I know you didn't get where you are by being careless, Yuy. I certainly hope that you're right."

I stared at him silently. Heero was still gazing in the direction of the fire and didn't look up.

"Very well. I'll take first watch." The eastern warrior moved soundlessly off into the forest. "I'll return to wake one of you in about two or three hours." He vanished.

"Nervous," I commented.

Heero shrugged. "He's a good man in a fight. There are a few too many hard lessons in his past, is all. He'll come around."

I shifted my gaze from him to Duo. "Would you honestly let him die?"

"Probably. Depends on how useful he is." Heero closed his eyes and turned away. "I can't afford to have people around me who are weak. You know that, Trowa."

I nodded slowly. That couldn't have been an easy conclusion to come to. I glanced downward at Quatre, who lay on his side near me, curled slightly. Would I ever make that same decision, if my duty bound me the way Heero's did him? I reached out and brushed a few stray locks of light hair from his face. Quatre… so beautiful, his trust and his kindess. I couldn't imagine ever allowing him to be killed, not even for the sake of an entire world.

"You're fond of him, aren't you?"

I turned from Quatre's face to look back at Heero again. "Very," I admitted.

"It's going to affect your decision," he reminded me.

Of course it would. "It might." I didn't want to think about that yet. It wasn't the time. And staying with Quatre wasn't necessarily the best course of action, though it was what I felt I would like. Duty, again. Everything was duty.

"He _is_ beautiful, Trowa," Heero said dispassionately, watching me steadily. "But I would advise you not to get too attached. Fate can be cruel."

I smiled briefly. "Your advice may have come too late, Heero," I answered softly, glancing back at Quatre. "It may not have even mattered in the first place."

"Then I'll advise you to be cautious." He stood abruptly. "Though I doubt you need to hear it. Good night, Trowa."

He walked off into the woods, not bothering to explain why he wasn't sleeping around the campfire. Heero was like that sometimes.

I shook my head and started to lie down beside Quatre.

"Trowa?"

My body froze for a moment, then I forced myself to get over the surprise. "I thought you were asleep," I said, as the light-haired boy shifted to look at me.

"I'm having a little trouble getting used to this," he admitted, smiling apologetically.

I spread out beside Quatre, rolling over and pulling him into my arms so that he was half lying on top of me. "Is that better?"

"A lot better, actually. Thank you, Trowa." He sighed and rested his head in a more comfortable position, where my throat and shoulder met. "What did Heero mean when he said he couldn't have people around him who were weak? Does he have something against people who can't fight?"

I ran my fingers over his back, soothing the tense muscles. "No. He's just in a dangerous position. It's not only his own life he has to worry about."

Quatre sighed. "I suppose you can't tell me what that means, can you?"

"No."

"Duo knows how to fight," he told me almost absently, fingertips trailing across my chest lazily. "I don't think Heero will be disappointed. What will I have to do, Trowa?"

I caught that wandering hand in mine. "Lock the Gate."

"You'll have to tell me how, I'm afraid."

"I'll come in with you." I wasn't letting him go anywhere near that Gate without protection. "The others will be busy fighting."

"Who will they be fighting?"

"The Gate will be guarded. Heavily. They fight, and we slip in. Then you lock it, and we move on to the next Gate."

He smothered a yawn. "It almost sounds easy when you put it like that."

I smiled and kissed the top of his head. "Get some rest. You'll need it."

"All right." He must have been tired, to agree so quickly. "Good night, Trowa."

I held him closer and listened to the steady heartbeat, so close to mine, until his breathing became steady. "I'll see you in my dreams," I told him softly. "Quatre."

~~~~~~

End North Gate: 2

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	4. North Gate: 3

Keeper of the Keys: ****

Bane of Darkness

North Gate: 3

"There." Wufei used his gaze to point out the direction of the fortress where the North Gate was located. "That's the place."

"It's not far from the South Gate," Heero commented.

"How do you know _that?_" Duo glanced at him.

"I used to live near it."

"Yeah? And here I thought you just wandered around." The braided boy actually looked interested. "You telling me you've got a home?"

"More or less." Heero looked back at the fortress. "The important thing is getting past the inner gates. The outer walls aren't well guarded. But there's only one tower inside them. If we can get Quatre inside the tower, then he can seal up the Gate with no problems."

I shook my head. "No. The Gate will be where _they_ are standing guard. We will only need you to hold off the guards. I'll go with Quatre."

"Sound strategy," Wufei approved. "All right." He turned to face Duo. "Now is your chance to prove how well you fight, Maxwell. Don't hold back, because we _won't_ stop to protect you."

Duo grinned and cracked his knuckles. "No problem."

"They'll be armed," Heero warned him.

He shrugged. "I can deal with it. I've met people who wanted to kill me before, and I'm still here. The only weapon I need is…" He thumped his chest, and grinned again.

"He's good," Quatre assured them. "I used to take classes with him. There's no one better, trust me."

"Innocent until proven guilty." Wufei snorted. "If we're going to start, shouldn't we get to it? The faster we get this over with, the faster we can leave and be free to lock the other Gates."

"Agreed." I nodded at him. "Quatre, come with me."

He followed without question as I led him to the bushes on the other side of the small fortress. "Why are we over here?" he asked, when I stopped.

"Diversion." I watched the guards intently. "The others will attack openly. The guards will then rush to help their fellows, and everyone is dealt with at once. Then we move inside and take the tower."

"Won't that be guarded too?" He gave me a sideways glance.

"Of course. That's why we enter so openly." I smiled briefly. "They won't think twice about us until we move to enter the tower."

"How come?"

"Arrogance." I let my smile widen slightly. "They can't believe anyone would challenge them. We'll be acting like we're supposed to be there, so they won't question us. But _their_ mortal servants are forbidden to enter the tower. That's when they'll know we're enemies."

A yell from one of the guards made Quatre's head whip up.

"The fighting's started," I told him.

"Oh." He looked worried. "Trowa, when they know we're enemies, won't they attack us?"

"That's where the others come in. Don't worry," I assured him. "Wufei's timing is never off. They'll be there in time to help us." The last of the guards moved from the door to the fortress. "Time to go," I said, and started forward again.

"All right." Quatre followed me. "I'll trust you. If anyone can keep me safe, it's you, Trowa." There was a smile on his face that I could feel without even looking at him. "I know it."

I focussed on the door in front of me. "Thank you." What could I say? I could sense his faith in me, like something tangible. Beautiful, kind Quatre, giving _me_ the whole of his life, his soul, his heart… Was I worthy of this? Quatre believed that I was, and that alone could make it so.

I opened the door and we walked into the fortress.

There were people around, men and women, some with weapons and some without, all looking untroubled by the chaos happening outside. They barely gave us a glance as we walked toward the tower. After all, if we had been enemies, we would be attacking, correct? I led Quatre toward the center of the grounds, a tower with a ring of guards surrounding it. There was one entrance, an open arch with a winding staircase visible through it.

We were only just approaching the tower when the doors on the opposite end from where we'd come in crashed open.

I seized on the moment of distraction, grabbing Quatre's wrist and roughly shoving a pair of guards out of the way to drag him past them and into the archway. Startled cries and the beginning sounds of fighting slowly faded behind us as we climbed the rough stone stairs at a dead run.

Surprise was usually the best weapon.

"Why aren't they following us?" Quatre gasped, struggling to keep up with the pace I set. His wrist was still caught tight in my hand, and I was nearly dragging him along after me.

"Confusion." I managed to slow down a little. "They're forbidden to enter. The fear of what might happen if they do keeps them from disobeying."

"Will the others be able to handle all of them?" Quatre asked, worried.

I hesitated. "Have a look." There was a slit of a window by the stairs, and I paused so he could see out of it. "Don't take too long. The sooner we finish, the sooner they'll be safe."

It was utter chaos out in the grounds. Not that that was anything new. I spotted Wufei, sword flickering rather than swiping. He was so quick with it that most of his enemies didn't even see the weapon coming before it neatly skewered them. A quick twist of his wrist ran through first one guard, and then another. No one even got close enough to mark him.

Heero and Duo were separated from the eastern warrior, but they inflicted no fewer casualties. I'd seen Heero fight before; he used every weapon at his disposal – hands, arms, legs, dagger, or staff. In his hands, even a roll of parchment would be deadly. As I watched, he stabbed a man between the eyes with his own dagger while at the same time using his elbow to crush the skull of the opponent behind him. Overpowering him was out of the question.

The braided boy, on the other hand, was more quick than powerful. With a grimace, he brained an enemy with his fist, using the momentum to bend forward and kick in a backwards arch, taking out two more. Without stopping, he rolled and dug his heel into another man's gut, then used that foot to kick him sideways so that his sword neatly sank into one of his comrades' back. He was fast enough in the movements so that no one had time to even once lay a hand on him.

"I think they're fine." I took Quatre's arm and steered him from the window, even as Duo knocked a man who had been attacking Heero into the wall of the tower. "Let's do our part."

"Right." He turned from the scene, blinking rapidly. "I just hope we can end this in time to save some of them." Then he hurried ahead of me, up the winding staircase.

~~~~~~

I wasn't entirely sure what I'd really been expecting to find. The top of the tower was circular, and large. The stairway came up through the middle of the floor, so it didn't even create a break in the rounded wall. There were seven shuttered windows lining it instead, each one perfectly space from those near it. This, then, was the Gate, though it hardly looked like one.

Quatre looked around. "So this is it? What do I do?"

Sound must have been a trigger. Wind rushed around the small room, and I recognized a hissing that was as familiar as my own voice. _This is their last line of defense?_ I thought derisively. _How careless._ "Close your eyes," I told my companion calmly.

The blond boy obeyed me instantly.

I concentrated, and felt something like a soft breeze passing between my eyelids and the actual eye. That was it – practically no effort, and the effects were immediate and rather dramatic.

Quatre cried out and covered his ears as the shrieking began, but I didn't bother. After a few hundred years of living in a world full of creatures like _them_, not much bothered me.

The shrieking cut off as I felt those miserable lives finish, and the room was silent.

"Get the keys ready," I told Quatre, as he cautiously uncovered his ears. "I think we need to open these windows, one at a time."

"Then what?" he asked, reaching into his bag.

"Then we see what happens," I answered calmly.

"All right." Quatre took a deep breath and moved purposefully toward one of the shuttered windows. His fingers were steady as he undid the latch and pulled the small wooden doors open.

Revealing a set of silver doors that met each other at the center of the "window", with a lock and a visible keyhole, also of silver.

There also seemed to be a faint glow coming from the gateway.

"Is this what we're looking for?" Quatre asked, glancing at me.

"I'm fairly sure of it."

"Good. I think I can take it from here." He pulled the Silver key out from the rest and fit it into the lock. Then he turned it.

A bright flaring of light seemed to explode from the front of the doorway, illuminating the blond boy for a brief second. Quatre let out a sudden cry, and his body crumpled. I jumped forward in time to catch him before he hit the ground, and the light faded away. "Are you all right?"

"F-fine." He shakily tried to steady himself. "I just… I feel like I ran ten miles without even moving. It felt like that thing was sucking the energy out of me – if that makes sense."

__

That worried me. "Do you need to take a break before moving on?"

"No." He pushed himself out of my arms and moved on to the next window, looking determined. "I can handle it. Besides, Duo and the others could get hurt if I take too long."

I decided that mentioning just how much danger Heero might really be in wasn't a good idea at the moment.

The next lock was Amber, and it affected Quatre in much the same way as the Silver one had. This time, I was ready for it, and managed to catch him before he even had a chance to do more than sway a little on his feet.

"Are you sure you can take this?" I let my arms hook around his waist from behind, protectively. "It'll hurt you if you don't know your limits well enough."

"I-I'm OK." He tried to free himself from my grasp. "Really, I'm OK, Trowa. Let me finish this." I let him go, and he moved on, still with that same determination.

Gold was next, then Ice. Quatre wilted visibly with every new lock he sealed. Rowan… Emerald… I had to hold him up for the last one, the Diamond; he was too weak to even stand on his own. But he insisted on continuing.

"Just… one more…" He smiled a little. "I'll survive."

"In what sort of condition?" Still, I held him so that he could seal the final lock.

The second the key was removed from it, the Diamond lock – as well as all the others – vanished into the wall, as if they had been swallowed by it. In the end, the room had no windows, and nothing marred that smooth stone surface.

Quatre collapsed back against me, almost unconscious.

"It's over," I told him softly, not wasting time in gathering him up in my arms to carry him. He started to protest, but I cut him off. "Just relax. You've done more than enough already, and you deserve a rest."

He smiled and leaned against my shoulder.

We met the others outside the tower, lounging idley as though the obvious signs of a previous battle weren't scattered all around them. "It's about time you guys got here," Duo said – then his grin faded as he noticed that I was carrying Quatre instead of leading him. "What happened? Is he OK?"

"He's fine," I assured him. "Just exhausted. What happened here?"

"The enemies who were still standing broke away and ran just a few minutes ago," Heero reported. "I take it you succeeded in sealing the Gate."

I nodded.

"So," Duo cut in, completely changing the subject, "how'd I do on the fighting test?" There was a wicked grin on his face. "Have I proved myself worthy yet? Or did you plan on testing me further?"

Wufei shut his eyes and sighed, but there was a grudging respect in his voice as he forced out the words, "He'll do."

Heero said nothing, but his gaze remained fixed on the beaming Duo, and I thought for a minute that I detected a faint smile on his face.

~~~~~~

End North Gate

Well? Comments? Criticism? Please????


	5. 

Keeper of the Keys: ****

Bane of Darkness

South Gate: 1

Duo stood near the top of the hill, arms crossed over his chest, waiting for the rest of us to join him. "Sure taking your sweet time there, aren't you guys?" he asked, grinning widely. "Or maybe you're just getting lazy."

"Your silence would be appreciated." Wufei frowned, joining him at the top.

"How much is it worth to you?" the braided boy replied, raising an eyebrow.

The eastern warrior scowled.

"It only encourages him when you acknowledge his presense," Heero noted blandly. "I'd suggest that you ignore him whenever he opens his mouth."

Duo gave him a wicked smile. "I'm just so lovable nobody can resist talking to me."

Quatre smothered a laugh with his hand and sank down to a sitting position just at the top of the hill. "Just how far are we from the Sanc Kingdom?"

"We're in the Sanc Kingdom already," I answered him, sitting down as well to pull him onto my lap. He let out a contented sigh and leaned back against my chest, grabbing my wrists to pull them around his waist.

"Well, if that's not the cutest thing I've ever seen…" Duo grinned. "Then I'm sure they'll do something even cuter in another few minutes."

Wufei frowned at him. "Maxwell, do you really think their relationship is any of your business?"

"Nope." Duo shrugged. "But, Quatre _is_ my best friend. It's practically in my job description to try and drive him insane."

"And driving _him_ insane includes driving the rest of us insane as well, is that it?" Heero actually halfway smiled at Duo, cold eyes relaxing ever so slightly.

Duo blinked, obviously a little startled by what had been the biggest show of emotion I'd seen Heero give anyone in a very long time. "Well," he began, recovering, "if you're interested in a private demonstration of my extensive talents…" He raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"I might just take you up on that," Heero replied, with an absolutely straight face. Duo's smile widened even further.

Interesting method of flirting, that.

"You know, I think Duo's going to be too busy to tease us much anymore," Quatre said softly, smiling. I kissed his ear and held him closer, feeling him relax into my arms. "And I like it when you're this affectionate," he whispered.

"Looks like they're at it again." Duo turned away from us innocently and faced forward again. "Don't think I'm going to be getting much out of those two for a while, so how about if one of you guys tells me what city that is, and whether or not we can stay there overnight."

I looked. "That's the capital city of the Sanc Kingdom."

Heero eyed it moodily. "Home," he added, face unreadable as he studied the neat cluster of buildings. "If I have a home."

~~~~~~

"This place is _huge!_" Duo gazed around the royal audience chamber of the palace in awe. "It's even bigger than Dorothy's mansion back home! Who lives in this castle, anyway?"

"The royal family." Heero was watching the archway leading into the rest of the palace. "This was built centuries ago, and the rulers of the Sanc Kingdom traditionally reside here."

"Great!" The braided boy turned back toward him. "So, are we going to meet one of these rulers? I gather you've got a certain importance here – or else we wouldn't be in this place at all, would we?"

"Why don't you keep your mouth shut and your eyes open, Maxwell," Wufei suggested. "That way you might actually learn something."

"Yeah?" Duo crossed his arms. "Like what?"

"Heero?"

We all looked up at that. In the doorway stood a slender girl of average height, dressed in the royal robes that marked her as having the highest rank possible. Her golden-brown hair was tied back in a simple style and a small gold crown rested delicately on the top of her head. There was a small but brilliant smile on her face as she held out her hands toward us.

Heero had already started moving across the room. When he reached the girl, he took both of her hands in his and kissed the backs of them. "My Queen," he said, dropping to one knee, head bowed.

She took his face in her hands and kissed his forehead. "So you've returned to us at last, my champion. We have felt your absense most keenly." Her words, formal as they sounded, were warm.

Heero stood. "I can't stay, Relena," he stated flatly. "Our task is only half finished."

"I know that, Heero." There was just the faintest hint of sorrow in her expression, but the smile she gave was genuine. "You and your companions may stay here for as long as you need to. My palace and all of its facilities are at your disposal. Now will you introduce me to them?"

Her champion promptly turned and did just that.

There was nothing different about Heero's face or his voice that was immediately apparent when he introduced Duo to his queen. All the same, I saw a tiny smile start to form on her face just at that moment. That more than anything, I felt, confirmed my speculations.

"Duo Maxwell and Quatre Winner." Relenad inclined her head toward them. "So you are from that other world?" The question was innocent enough.

Duo grinned at her. He didn't seem at all bothered by Heero's show of devotion toward the girl – a point in his favor, considering the postion of the Queen's Champion. "Hey, where I come from, this place would be the 'other world'."

Relena laughed out loud, and I knew then that things would work out fine.

"I need to make my report," Heero said to his queen. "Can you arrange for rooms for the others? I can join them later on."

"Of course." Relena moved to pull a silken cord, and a servant entered the room. "Please show our guests to the rooms I've had prepared," she instructed him.

"Yes, your Majesty." The man bowed, then turned to leave the room. "Right this way, please."

When I glanced back, Heero had moved toward the queen and was talking to her in quiet but firm tones. I turned my eyes forward again.

__

It's always duty with him. The thought made me, unconsciously perhaps, tighten my hold on Quatre's hand. _He puts aside what he might want to do in favor of what's best for his country and his queen. The one who shares his heart would have to understand and accept that._ My gaze wandered to where Duo was happily irritating Wufei with a steady stream of cheerful chattering. I smiled. _I think that one will do perfectly._

~~~~~~

End South Gate: 1

You like? You hate? Let me know please!


	6. South Gate: 2

**Bane of Darkness **

South Gate: 2  
  
  
Quatre's face had a worried look on it as he walked down the hallway beside me. I watched him, slightly amused, as he held my hand in between both of his, absently toying with my fingers. He was chewing on his lower lip and despite the way his eyes slanted in at the edges to make his expression so worried, he looked adorable. I smiled. 

Duo had apparently noticed as well. "Hey Quatre!" he said cheerfully, tossing an arm around his best friend's shoulders. "What's eating you, huh? We're lounging about in luxury here! I think it's great!" 

"I guess it is." Quatre managed a genuine smile for the braided boy. "Sorry Duo. I'm a bit distracted, that's all." 

"Oh sure. And I know just what's distractin you, too." Duo winked, then looked up as the servant who'd been leading us stopped in front of a door. "There's my stop! It's been fun chatting with you guys!" He released Quatre and jumped toward the room. A second after the door closed behind him, I heard, "Holy cow! You could fit five people in that thing!" 

Quatre laughed softly. 

"It's about time we got a little peace," Wufei commented irritably as we started to move through the hallway again. "Barton," he added, after a moment. "Could I have a private word?" 

I glanced at Quatre, who half-smiled. "I don't mind, Trowa." 

"All right." I pulled my hand free of his and dropped back a few paces to where I could talk quietly with Wufei. "What is it?" 

He glanced back at where we'd left Duo. "Does it seem to you like he's got more on his mind than just mere friendship at times?" 

I thought back to my conclusion about the mutual attraction between Heero and Duo. "Yes, I noticed." 

Wufei glanced at me incredulously. "And that doesn't bother you?" 

"Why should it?" 

He frowned. "Have you spoken to Quatre about this?" 

I shrugged. "No. Why should I?" 

"Don't you think he should know if one of the people close to him has those kind of feelings for him?" Wufei demanded. 

I was silent for a moment. _Duo... and Quatre...?_ I smiled. "You think that Duo has feelings for _Quatre?_" 

"Of course. I've seen the way he acts around the two of you. Isn't that what this conversation was about?" 

I started to laugh, softly. "Not to me." 

He frowned again. "Sometimes you don't make any sense at all, Barton," he accused me, then he marched, stiff-backed, into the room waiting ahead of us. 

"What was that about?" Quatre asked, as I rejoined him. 

I claimed his hand again. "Nothing important. Wufei was under the impression that Duo had feelings for you." 

"Duo?" He laughed. "That's ridiculous! Duo's falling for Heero, not me. We've never been anything but friends." He bit his lip again and the worried look returned to his face. "Heero _is_... um... falling for Duo too, isn't he? I thought I'd picked up on that, but now I'm not so sure..." 

"I am." 

"Oh." Quatre was silent for a moemnt, then he turned to look at me again, face anxious. "Well, I don't know... It just seemed to me like he might've cared about that... the queen... a lot more. What do you think?" 

I was already shaking my head. "The relationship between Heero and Relena has absolutely nothing to do with what's going on between Heero and Duo. You shouldn't make any sort of connection between them." 

He looked baffled. "What do you mean?" 

I gave him a half-smile. "What ties Heero and Relena together is that bond between ruler and champion - it's been the same for generations. What is has to do with is loyalty, respect, and most of all, duty. There is nothing in there about the kind of love between two equals - which is what I'm sure Heero is looking for in Duo." 

A faint comprehension was beginning to dawn in Quatre's eyes. "I think... I understand," he said slowly. "But... wouldn't it divide his loyalties?" 

I nodded. "If Heero were to find someone to spend his life with, that person would have to accept the fact that he's totally devoted himself to his duty. Someone who could share that duty with him would be the best choice. From what I've seen of Duo, I think he could handle it." 

Quatre smiled, no longer looking worried. "You're probably right," he agreed, and moved closer to me in the hallway. 

"Sirs?" 

I looked up. The servant stood waiting for us in front of another door. So, at least one of us woud be taking that room. 

At least. 

Quatre was looking up at me as if waiting for a clue on what to do next. I gave him my best impassive stare. _Don't think you're getting out of making this decision._ If he wanted me to stay, I would. If not, I wouldn't. Simple as that. 

"Well." Quatre drew himself up. "What are we waiting for, Trowa? Let's go inside." His voice didn't shake _too_ much, and he met my gaze almost defiantly. 

I walked past him and into the room. 

Quatre let out the breath he'd been holding and followed me in, shutting the door behind him. 

We were silent for a moment, staring at each other. 

"Now what?" Quatre asked, breaking the silence. He was watching me with an expectant look in his eyes - _this_ decision was mine. 

I moved forward slowly, and his gaze stayed locked with mine, hopefully anticipating what my next move would be. _Hmm. I'd sooner die than disappoint him._ Sliding my arms around his waist, I tilted my head to capture his lips. 

Quatre responded by wrapping his arms around my neck, grabbing handfuls of my shirt, and eagerly returning the kiss. 

I responded to _that_ by leaning back so that we were lying across the bed, with him on top of me. 

He immediately rolled over and pulled me on top of him, tangling our legs together and burying his fingers in my hair. I ran my hands down the smooth line of his waist, over those slight hips, and felt irrationally possessive. That soft skin, beautiful face and body, tender lips... All mine. I wanted _all_ of him. 

Breaking from those incredibly addictive lips, I trailed a line of kisses over his jawline, to where his ear met the edge of his face. His breathing was hoarse and ragged, and his finger clenched in my hair, almost seeming to claim me in return. He didn't need to. He'd claimed me back in his own world, with kindness and big blue eyes, with a soft smile and absolute faith. In more ways than could be put into words, I _belonged_ to Quatre. And it felt incredible. 

"T-Trowa..." He barely managed to breathe out the word, body shuddering at the first soft touch of my lips against that pale throat. I could feel him swallow almost nervously, and deepened that kiss, caressing his skin with my tongue. He didn't taste, as so many poems would say, like frust, or heavenly nectar - but I thought it was sweet all the same. 

"Mmm... Trowa..." I broke contact with his neck and let my lips trail lightly over his skin to attack the sensitive spot behind his ear. With a startled gasp, he arched against me involuntarily, his body making contact with mine in just the right places to stimulate both of us. And that was when I stopped. 

Moving from that tempting spot, I leaned my forehead against his, reaching up to press my hands against his cheeks. It may have seemed like one of those moments... when a person should ignore thought and go with feeling. I prefered to have the thought come first - and permission straight from him when he was able to think clearly. So... "How do you feel?" I asked him instead, quietly. 

"Fine." His voice was a whisper and his eyes were closed. They opened again and he whispered, softly, "Trowa, I love you." 

I nodded slowly, unsurprised. _One more tie that binds me to him, and not fully of his doing._ I had fashioned every one of those ties myself, gladly, willingly. His eyes stared up at me, blindly giving affection and expecting nothing in return. Reminding my soul that they'd already claimed it as their own property, with that same simple affection that I claimed in return. 

I kissed each one of those eyes softly in turn and just held him.  
  
  
~~~~~~ 

End South Gate: 2 

So, what do you guys think? Sappy enough? I almost drowned in sweetness just _writing_ it!


	7. South Gate: 3

Keeper of the Keys: ****

Bane of Darkness

South Gate: 3

Duo had the strangest smile on his face the next morning when we gathered around an already prepared table for breakfast. It looked almost as if he knew a secret that the rest of us didn't. The glances he exchanged with Heero, who was calmly eating his breakfast in an attempt to look normal, spoke volumes on what that secret was.

I hid a smile and pretended not to notice.

"I had a strange dream last night," Quatre said quietly. Since Duo was busy driving Wufei to distraction with a steady stream of chatter, I was the only one who heard him.

"Oh?"

"I wouldn't have mentioned it at all," he continued. "But it felt so immediate… I don't know." He shook his head. "I kept seeing this round crystal thing – and for some reason, it was like a part of me. Dorothy was there – she was laughing at me – and I knew that you were in so much danger, but there was nothing I could do about it."

I felt chilled, like I'd been given a premonition. Could Quatre's dream have something to do with the future? It wasn't uncommon… "Interesting," was all I said.

He smiled, a bit sheepishly. "I know, it sounds kind of silly, doesn't it? Maybe I'm just confused by everything that's happened, relating to what we're doing. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." 

I wasn't so sure about that, but I decided to keep my thoughts to myself.

"Good morning." Relena walked into the room, with no formal announcement to mark her arrival. "I trust you all slept well?" She glanced briefly at her champion, and smiled knowingly.

" 'Well' doesn't even _begin_ to tell it all," Duo told her, grinning widely.

"I'm glad to hear it," she replied, quite seriously. "Heero has told me what you are trying to do, and I had hoped to offer you my assistance, in any way you might need it."

Wufei nodded slowly. "Appreciated," he said grudgingly.

"Thank you." Quatre graced her with a genuinely warm smile.

I just nodded.

"Heero has requested I write a speech for the citizens of my city," she continued, looking toward her champion. "I hope you'll tell my why now, since I've done what you asked."

"He's got a plan in mind," Duo told her, with another grin. "We need to get into the tower located in the lower part of your city, and he's come up with a way to make it a little easier on us."

I shifted my gaze to Heero. "What's the plan?"

"Just another diversionary tactic," he replied. "It's fairly standard. If we're lucky, this one won't result in any sort of bloodshed at all."

Wufei raised an eyebrow. "How are we going to manage _that?_"

"Relena will give a speech," Heero answered.

Quatre looked puzzled. "What sort of speech will it be?"

"It doesn't matter, as long as it seems like there's something important happening." Heero shrugged. "We only need an excuse to drag the guards away from that tower."

"Yeah," Duo spoke up. "Once they've gone off to hear Relena talk, Trowa and Quatre can sneak into the tower and nobody will know what they're up to until it's too late. They can't do anything _after_ the Gate's all locked up, can they?"

"It sounds simple enough." Quatre smiled at me.

"It is." Almost _too_ simple. I chose not to comment.

"Simple enough to work, maybe." Wufei looked thoughtful. "It's probably worth trying out, at any rate."

"Good." Heero nodded. "Relena?"

"I'll send out an announcement at once." She turned and left the room.

I frowned, and closed my eyes briefly. There was something not right about the way we seemed to achieve such easy victories. It was as if… they wanted us to succeed. But why would they? That was against what they were going for, wasn't it?

My gaze shifted to Heero momentarily. _Unless they've found a different way to get what they want._

~~~~~~

I glanced over my shoulder at the group of Relena's soldiers, who had been placed under Wufei's command. "Will they do, or will we end up fighting?"

"They're adequate." He sniffed. "Only barely, but they can get us by. I don't think there will be _too_ much resistance from any of those Gate guards."

"Maybe a protest or two," Quatre guessed, from my other side. He was wearing the uniform of one of Relena's soldiers, like Wufei and myself. "They'll probably be afraid that they might get in trouble for deserting their positions."

"Probably," I agreed. "But with the pretense that our soldiers will be roaming the streets looking for stragglers, they might be persuaded more easily."

"Enough chatter." Wufei straightened. "The two of you had better act like ordinary soldiers. I'll take care of this."

Quatre and I joined the ranks of Relena's guards, and Wufei gave us all the order to move in on the unsuspecting Gate guards.

"What the – ?" The first astonished-looking guard tried to protest, but Wufei cut him off.

"All citizens of this city are ordered as of now to be taken to the Center, where her Royal Majesty will give an important speech," he ordered crisply. "You are hereby commanded to abandon this post and travel there immediately."

Nice and to the point, I reasoned approvingly.

"But – " someone tried to protest.

"There will be no excuses!" Wufei barked. "My soldiers will be patrolling the streets to prevent theft and to bring all citizens into the Queen's presense. You people will come with me!"

The Gate guards looked at each other helplessly.

"You, and you!" Wufei pointed at Quatre and myself. "Scout around this area for any others who aren't yet at the ceremony. The rest of you, take these people to the Queen's gathering. Move!"

Quatre and I left the group as the reluctant Gate guards were led away.

"That was easy," Quatre commented. Again, I got the urge to answer that it was _too_ easy, but I kept silent. "There's the entrance," he said suddenly, pointing. Then he looked at me oddly. "You're being awfully quiet, Trowa. Is something the matter."

__

Yes. "No. Not a thing."

"All right." He turned back toward the archway.

I followed him into the tower and pushed thoughts of "too easy" to the back of my mind. Time enough to worry about that in the future.

~~~~~~

"All right." Quatre pulled the shimmering mass of keys from his bag, holding them ready. "Time to get started." He moved to the first lock – the Silver, this time.

I immediately stood behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist. He was _not_ going to fall down after sealing that lock. I would make sure of that.

"Trowa, you don't need to…" He trailed off when he saw my expression, and sighed. "All right, if it makes you happy. I don't need help just yet, though."

As if that would be enough to ease my worries. I did _not_ like the way sealing those locks seemed to take so much out of Quatre. I had the most unsettling feeling that it had something to do the reason that sealing up the Gates was so easy for us in the first place, and it made me worry – for Quatre more than anything else. I _really_ didn't want to see him get hurt. More than anything, I knew, I had to keep him safe.

Though that may have been more of a personal thing.

My fears wound up being confirmed as Quatre seemed affected more so than last time by the light that seemed to suck out his energy. I practically had to carry him to the last lock, and when he'd sealed it, he collapsed bonelessly into my arms, hardly seemingly to notice as the locks all sank into the wall, closing up the Gate. He seemed even more exhausted than he had before.

I was starting to have very serious suspicions at that point. And none of what I speculated was good.

"I-I'm okay," he murmured, letting me carry him. "Really, Trowa, I'm… okay." And then he passed out in my arms.

There was a frown spreading on my face as warnings seemed to scream in my head. _This is too easy. There must be a reason. And it can't be good for Quatre…_

The thing that bothering me the most was that there was nothing I could do about it.

~~~~~~

End South Gate: 3

I know, I know, that was really short… but… Well? Any comments? Anything? Please?


End file.
